Tip for toy arrows

ABSTRACT

A tip for toy arrows or darts and the like of the type characterized by an elongated shaft having a suction cup adjacent the forward end for releasable attachment to a smooth surfaced target. The improved tip includes structure which readily collapses when pinched, thus making it difficult for a child to grip the tip in the event he attempts to pull the tip from the shaft. The tip includes a shank member which is provided with a socket for receiving the shaft. The shank is fixedly attached to the shaft by a suitable bonding agent. The shank is tapered down to the shaft, thus further being noticeably void of any shoulder which the child might grip while attempting to pull the tip from the shaft.

United States Patent [1 1 Wilson Oct. 15, 1974 [54] TIP Fon TOY ARROWS [52] US. Cl. 273/1065 A, 248/206 R [51] Int. Cl A63b 65/02, F4lb 5/02 [58] Field of Search 273/1065 A, DIG. 25; 248/206 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 397,950 2/1889 White 273/1065 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 977,147 11/1950 France 273/1065 A 693,251 4/1930 France 273/1065 A Primary Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John R. Walker, "I

[57] ABSTRACT A tip for toy arrows or darts and the like of the type characterized by an elongated shaft having a suction cup adjacent the forward end for releasable attachment to a smooth surfaced target. The improved tip includes structure which readily collapses when pinched, thus making it difficult for a child to grip the tip in the event he attempts to pull the tip from the shaft. The tip includes a shank member which is provided with a socket for receiving the shaft. The shank is fixedly attached to the shaft by a suitable bonding agent. The shank is tapered down to the shaft, thus further being noticeably void of any shoulder which the child might grip while attempting to pull the tip from the shaft.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures TIP FOR TOY annows BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 7 v.

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the field of toy arrows or darts and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art A preliminary patent-ability search revealed the following US. Patents none of which suggest or disclose applicants invention: US. Pat. Nos. 1,601,885; 2,011,749; 2,078,439; 2,377,498; 2,808,820; and 2,930,161. Additionally, the search revealed the following French patents none .of which suggest or disclose applicants invention: French Pat. Nos. 337,082; 693,251; and 977,147. Guidelines recently published by the Product Safety Division of the Federal Drug Administration strongly urge manufacturers of shooting toys, i.e., including toy bow and arrows, to incorporate safety features into the construction of their product. Toy arrows specifically should have a safety tip thereon which is not easily removed by a child thus precluding the likelihood of children shooting a toy arrow which has had the blunt tip removed therefrom. In fact, it is recommended that the tip withstand a minimumof fifteen pounds of pull without becoming detached from the shaft of the arrow.

Numerous futile attempts have been made toward developing a suitable bonding agent to solve this problem. However, applicant has recently found that a bonding agent developed for the space program is available and when used to attach the tip to the shaft, the standards developed by the Federal Drug Administration are achieved.

Federal Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines notwithstanding, applicant believes that prior suction cup tips for arrows or the like provide prominent shoulder portions or lips adjacent the convex surface of the suction cup which a child may firmly grip to apply sufficient force to possibly remove the rubber tip, i.e., exceedingthe fifteen pounds of pull. It should be reiterated that an arrow or other launchable toys could be hazardous when the blunt flexible resilient tip has been removed therefrom. In other words, in the event another child were to be accidentally or otherwise hit by the projectile of a launchable toy, injury would be unlikely or minor if the blunt suction cup end were firmly attached to the end of the projectile. However, in the event the suction cup'had been removed the arrow or dart could become hazardous. Accordingly, applicant believes that a greater margin of safety can be achieved than recommended by the FDA.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed towards overcoming thedisadvantages and problems relative to prior toy arrows and the like, particularly the problem in which children remove the blunt flexible resilient tip therefrom. The concept of the present invention is to provide a means for the shoulder or lip of the suction cup to collapse when pinched, thus making it difficultfor a child to grip the tip very strongly in the event he attempts to pull the tip from the shaft of the arrow or the like. More specifically, a socket is recessed into the cup or concave surface of the tip for weakening the circular wall of the lip to cause the suction cup to readily collapse inwardly when manually pinched. Additionally,

the tip includes a shank member which is provided with a socket for receiving the shaft of the arrow or the like. The shank is preferably fixedly attached to the shaft by a suitable bonding agent, i.e., in accordance with the latest developed state of the art. The shank is tapered down to the shaft, thus further being noticeably void of any shoulder or the like which the child might grip while attempting to pull the tip from the shaft. In other words, the childs fingers slip off the tip, since the shoulder collapses, when he attempts to pull the tip from the arrow or the like.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken as on the vertical center line of the improved flexible resilient tip for toy arrows of the present invention, depicting the tip attached to the forward end of the shaft of the arrow.

FIG. 2 is an end view looking at the forward end of the tip of the present invention. I

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 depicting the manner in which the lip of the cup collapses when pinched to apply a pulling force thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The tip I] of the present invention is intended for a launchable toy 13, e.g., an arrow or dart, etc., of the type having an elongated shaft 15 including a rearward end (not shown but well known to those skilled in the art) for releasably engaging suitable propulsion means (also not shown but obvious to those skilled in the art) and a forward end, as at 17. The usual tip 11 includes flexible resilient suction cup means, character referenced by the numeral 19, and is fixedly attached to the forward end 17 of the shaft 15 in a manner yet to be disclosed. The improved tip 11 of the present invention includes anti-grip means 21 for causing the suction cup means 19 to collapse inwardly when manually pinched while attempting to pull the tip 11 from the shaft 15. The blunt shaped tip 11 of the present invention includes a double tapered shank member 23 integrally attached to the suction cup means 19. The tip 11 may be formed from any well known flexible resilient mate rial. However, I prefer to mold the tip 11 from a rubber base material well known to those skilled in the art by the trade name Krayton.

The shank member 23 is provided with a tapered socket 25 for receiving the tapered forward end 17 of the shaft 15. More specifically,'tlhe shank member 23 is bonded to the tapered forward end 17 by a suitable bonding agent 27, i.e., the bonding agent 27 preferably being selected from the most advanced state of the art. The exterior of the shank member 23, as at 29, is tapered towards the tapered socket 25. More specifically, the tip 11 terminates adjacent the-rim 31 of the socket 25 in a knifelike thin edge, as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings, to provide minimum gripping surface exterior of the tip 11 in the event a child at tempts to pull the tip 11 from the shaft 15.

From FIG. 2 of the drawings it may be seen that the perimeter, as at 33, of the suction cup means 19 is circular and from FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings it may be seen that the suction cup means 19 includes a concavoconvex lip 35 having a concave surface 37 and a convex surface 39. The anti-grip means 21 includes providing the suction cup means 19 with a concentric socket 3 means 41, i.e., the concentric socket means 41 being recessed into the concav'e surface 37.

More specifically, the anti-grip means 21 includes an annular portion, as at 43, of the concavo-convex lip 35 defining the concentric socket means 41. The concentric socket means 41 is provided for weakening the circular wall of the lip 35, as at 45, to cause the suction cup means 19 to readily collapse inwardly when manually pinched while attempting topull the tip 11 from the shaft 15. Stated another way, the thickness of the lip 35, i.e., the distance between the concave surface 37 and the convex surface 39, is reduced as at 45 by the socket means 41, thus establishing an endless break line which causes the suction cup means 19 to readily collapse inwardly when manually pinched while attempting to pull the tip 11 from the shaft 15. More specifically, the suctioncup means 19 collapses to assume a shape substantially as depicted in FIG. 3 of thedrawing when an attempt is made to pull the tip 11. in the direction of the arrows, shown by the numerals 47 in FIG. 3. p

From FIG. 1 of the drawing it may also be seen that the convex surface 39 of the concavo-convex lip 35 in frustro-conical in shape and is angularly disposed-with respect to the tapered exterior 29 of the shank member 23. Further, it may be seen that the greater the diameter the concentric socket means 41' becomes the thinner the circular wall, as at 45, becomes, i.e., assuming a constant size for the perimeter 33. In this regard, the diameter of the concentric socket means 41 preferably is greater than the diameter of the tapered socket 25 of the shank member 23. Thus the anti-grip means 21 in enhanced. It should be obvious to those skilled in the art that the thinner the circular wall, as at 45, of the lip 35 the more readily the suction cup means 19 collapses when manually pinched in the above-described manner. However, the lip 35 must have sufficient resiliency and thickness to retain optimum suction, i.e., in order to retain its ability to stick on the smooth surfaced target.

Particular attention is now directed toward FIG. 3 of thedrawing wherein it may be seen that the relaxed suction cup means 19 is depicted in broken lines, i.e., substantially as shown in FIG. 1. The suction cup means 19 moves or collapses inwardly, to the position depicted by solid lines, when manually pinched, e.g., by a child, and urged in the direction of the arrows 47 in an'attempt to pull the tip 11 from the shaft 15. Thus, a greater margin of safety is achieved than recommended by the FDA.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so-limited since changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An improvement in a tip for a launchable toy of the type having an elongated shaft including a rearward end for releasably engaging propulsion means and a forward 'end with said tip being attached thereto, and

said tip including flexible resilient suction cup means; wherein said improvement comprises anti-grip means for causing said suction cup means to collapse inwardly when manually pinched while attempting to pull said tip from said shaft, the perimeter of said suction cup means being circular, said cup means including a concavo-convex lip, said anti-grip means including an annular portion of said concavo-convex lip defining concentric socket meansrecessed into the concave surface thereof for weakening the circular wall of said lip to cause said suction cup means to readily collapse inwardly when manually pinched while attempting to pull said tip from said shaft said tip including a double tapered shank member integrally attached to said suction cup means, said shank member being provided with a tapered socket for receiving the tapered .forwardend of said shaft and the exterior of said shank member being tapered towards said tapered socket therein, and the convex surface of said concave-convex lip being frustro-conical in shape and being angularly disposed with respect to said tapered exterior of said shank member.

thereof while attempting to pull said tip from said shaft. I

4. An improvement in a tip for a launchable toy of the type having an elongated shaft including a rearward end for releasably engaging propulsion means and a forward end for receiving said tip, said tip having a shank member which is attached to the forward end of said shaft, and the forward end of said tip including blunt shaped flexible resilient suction cup means integrally attached to said shank member for minimizing the danger of said launchable toy and for releasably attaching itself to a smooth flat surface subsequent to being propelled thereagainst by said propulsion means; wherein said improvement comprises providing said suction cup means with a circular concavo-convex lip including an annular portion defining a concentric socket recessed into the concave surface thereof and establishing a thin and weakened wall portion of said lip to cause said suction cup means to readily collapse inwardly when manually pinched in an attempt to pull said tip from said shaft, and said shank member of said tip terminating rearwardly thereof in a knifelike thin annular edge to provide minimum gripping surface thereof adjacent said shaft while attempting to pull said tip from said shaft.

5. The improvement of claim 4 in which said tip is integrally formed from Krayton. 

1. An improvement in a tip for a launchable toy of the type having an elongated shaft including a rearward end for releasably engaging propulsion means and a forward end with said tip being attached thereto, and said tip including flexible resilient suction cup means; wherein said improvement comprises anti-grip means for causing said suction cup means to collapse inwardly when manually pinched while attempting to pull said tip from said shaft, the perimeter of said suction cup means being circular, said cup means including a concavo-convex lip, said anti-grip means including an annular portion of said concavo-convex lip defining concentric socket means recessed into the concave surface thereof for weakening the circular wall of said lip to cause said suction cup means to readily collapse inwardly when manually pinched while attempting to pull said tip from said shaft said tip including a double tapered shank member integrally attached to said suction cup means, said shank member being provided with a tapered socket for receiving the tapered forward end of said shaft and the exterior of said shank member being tapered towards said tapered socket therein, and the convex surface of said concavo-convex lip being frustro-conical in shape and being angularly disposed with respect to said tapered exterior of said shank member.
 2. The improvement of claim 1 in which the diameter of said concentrIc socket means of said suction cup means is greater than the diameter of said tapered socket of said shank member to enhance said anti-grip means.
 3. The improvement of claim 2 in which said double tapered shank member of said tip terminates adjacent the rim of said tapered socket thereof in a knifelike thin edge to provide minimum gripping surface exterior thereof while attempting to pull said tip from said shaft.
 4. An improvement in a tip for a launchable toy of the type having an elongated shaft including a rearward end for releasably engaging propulsion means and a forward end for receiving said tip, said tip having a shank member which is attached to the forward end of said shaft, and the forward end of said tip including blunt shaped flexible resilient suction cup means integrally attached to said shank member for minimizing the danger of said launchable toy and for releasably attaching itself to a smooth flat surface subsequent to being propelled thereagainst by said propulsion means; wherein said improvement comprises providing said suction cup means with a circular concavo-convex lip including an annular portion defining a concentric socket recessed into the concave surface thereof and establishing a thin and weakened wall portion of said lip to cause said suction cup means to readily collapse inwardly when manually pinched in an attempt to pull said tip from said shaft, and said shank member of said tip terminating rearwardly thereof in a knifelike thin annular edge to provide minimum gripping surface thereof adjacent said shaft while attempting to pull said tip from said shaft.
 5. The improvement of claim 4 in which said tip is integrally formed from Krayton. 